THE ATLANTIC SLOPE NATURALIST. 



23 



and I know of a case where there was 

 a collection of mixed breeds in various 

 degrees of cultivated blood, and of 

 varied colored coats. 



In reptiles there is little evidence of 

 mixing of varied or allied forms and 

 species, and I do not recall an instance 

 of cross-breeding in frogs, turtles, snakes 

 or lizards. However, it is suspected that 

 crossing has occurred in the genus 

 eutainidy which embraces the common 

 striped snakes, a genus of well known 

 snakes that have shown many variations, 

 and several varieties of which are not 

 constant and which have at different 

 times been called varieties and again 

 species. 



In the birds we have many instances 

 where there have been crosses, and while 

 this occurs mainly under domestication, 

 there are also instances where crossing 

 has occurred among the wild birds. 

 There is one genus, hehnijitliophaga, in 

 which the birds have produced several 

 odd mixtures, and given rise to dispute 

 and speculation ; some claiming the pro- 

 ducts were new species, previously un- 

 discovered, while others called them vari- 

 eties. There are three forms or more 

 properly bird paradoxes in this one genus 

 of warblers. It is supposed that these 

 crosses are infertile, judging from the 

 known results in domesticated birds. 

 For instance, there are several species of 

 canaries, and when some among them 

 cross, the progeny is infertile ; and these 

 are known to bird fanciers as mule birds. 



It is said that all the many varieties of 

 domesticated pigeons are from common 

 stock, and that notwithstanding the ex- 

 treme variations, that any of the birds 

 may cross and the result will be fertile 

 young. It would be a most interesting 

 experiment if a male ring dove and a 

 female mourning dove were mated and 

 the actions of the progeny noted. I think 

 they would mate, but doubt if the product 

 would be fertile. The Chinese are noted 

 for crossing ducks, and it is said that 

 they secure infertile products which are 

 the best for fattening for the market. 

 Ducks and geese are much given to mix- 



ing, and this has been observed in the 

 wild species where we have occasional 

 instances of remarkably marked speci- 

 mens taken by hunters. It is inferred 

 that these crosses are infertile as the 

 crosses are infertile in most of the in- 

 stances, not a few, where wild geese have 

 been confined and crossed with others, 

 either tame or wild. For instance, the 

 Canada goose has repeatedly crossed with 

 the domestic goose of the barn-yard, 

 and the cross has proven infertile in 

 nearly every instance. There are flocks 

 of geese in the country at present which 

 embrace wild and tame ducks and the 

 cross, all of which are contented and the 

 wild fowls are fairly domesticated, but 

 the captives need to have their wings 

 clipped each spring to keep them from 

 flying to the north for the nesting season. 

 Investigation has proven that many 

 species of birds cross, but that most of 

 these matings have produced infertile 

 young. The subject is an interesting one 

 to those who are interested in evolution. 



"An Unusual Nesting Site of the 

 Carolina Chickadee." 



By Mark L. C. Wilde, Camden, N. J. 



On May 20th, 1903, I spent the day in 

 the extreme northwestern part of Cape 

 May County, New Jersey, at a point 

 about two miles below Belle Plain 

 Station, on the West Jersey and Seashore 

 Railroad. 



The object of the trip was to determine 

 whether the Swallow-tailed Kites were 

 breeding in the timber, bordering the 

 swamps in this neighborhood, where 

 some ten years before during the month 

 of June, I had observed one of these 

 birds flying overhead carrying a snake 

 which I believe was for the purpose of 

 feeding its young. 



The trip proved most disappointing as 

 far as the Kites were concerned, as the 

 timber had been ruined by forest fires, 

 except where protected by running water 

 in the swamps proper. 



However, I turned my attention to 

 other interesting species, and among 

 other things I found the odd nesting site 



